Eternal Investment

a tribute to the life of Isaac Waller

Building for Eternity

“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things
which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens” (II Corinthians 4:17–5:1).

Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give
to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the
cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21).

Turning away with Jesus’ words still ringing in his ears, the rich
young ruler left with a sorrow that revealed the cherished treasure of
his heart. The laying down of his riches to follow Christ was a decision
that he was not yet ready to make.

Possibly the first American missionary to be buried in
Mongolia, Isaac’s burial was a powerful testimony of love for the
people of this nation.

Three months ago, I stood with tears in my eyes on a barren hill in Mongolia
where my beloved twin brother’s body lay in a casket at the bottom of
a hand-dug grave. My tears were not of regret, but of joy in witnessing the
testimony of one who had forsaken this world’s treasures to follow
Christ. On November 4, 2005, Isaac’s earthly race had finished, leaving
us to ponder the twenty-five years that he had run beside us.

Born in Minnesota in 1980, Isaac and I both trusted Christ as our Savior at
age five in Sunday school. We would be the first of 10 children in
the Waller family. In a courageous step of commitment, my parents brought
Isaac and I home from first grade and began educating us at home to protect
us from damaging influences in the public school system.

Designing and distributing a Gospel tract to accompany our
stagecoach theme, our family took part in a local parade.

Our growing-up years were filled with many joys and excitement as the TV and
fiction books were replaced by creative projects and more profitable reading
material. Milk carton rafts, giant kites, bicycle horses and stagecoach, and a
twelve-foot model airplane powered by a lawn mower engine were just a few of
the projects we did together.

A quiet and gentle brother, Isaac’s personal disciplines deepened in his
early teens, and he kept a consistent journal until his death. Rising early,
often at 3:45 a.m., Isaac spent several hours in Bible reading and prayer each
day. Taking a special interest in his younger brothers, Isaac worked to develop
deep relationships with them and memorize Scripture together.

David, Matthew, and Isaac enjoy a happy moment together at
Christmastime.

Although I was fifteen minutes older than Isaac, I often looked up to him and
admired his wisdom and maturity. The disciplines he maintained in secret brought
forth fruit that we could not help noticing. His quiet example and genuine love
deeply impacted each one in our family.

Proverbs tells us that a man who is diligent in his business will stand before
kings. We saw this lived out before us in Isaac’s life when he began working
as an AutoCAD drafter at the company that my Dad worked for in Washington DC. Beginning
in an entry-level position, Isaac quickly became the head draftsman and an
indispensable part of the office.

“Be ye steadfast,
unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know
that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58),
Isaac’s life verse.

When our family moved across the country to a farm in Wisconsin, 21-year-old
Isaac faced a decision. The company vice-president urged Isaac to consider
staying behind. They offered to help him find housing, and if it was a
matter of money, he could just name what he wanted to be earning for his position.

Graciously declining the offer, Isaac turned away from the riches, status, and
independence of this position to be with our family as we moved into a
rugged 120-year-old farmhouse.

Again turning away from lucrative career possibilities, Isaac went on to serve
with the Character Training Institute in Oklahoma City, bringing principles
of character to needy lives in public schools and businesses. More than just
a knowledge of character, people saw in Isaac the power of God’s grace
to live out genuine character.

As before, Isaac’s diligence and responsibility also came to
the attention of the leadership in Oklahoma. Soon he was responsible for
setting up the audio-visual equipment for conferences, leading the weekly
hymn sing, assisting with staff transportation, discipleship, and accountability
with the young men from the training center, along with many other
responsibilities. These tasks were fulfilled in addition to his primary job
of assisting John Burnett, director of the International Association of
Character Cities.

Our team pauses for a picture while visiting a Mongolian
family in the countryside.

In June of 2005, God opened the way for the fulfillment of a dream that my
parents have had since they were first married. The Lord used the many years
of waiting to uniquely prepare us for more effective ministry as we
went overseas to serve together as a family.

Joining a small team of staff at a branch office of the Character Training
Institute in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, our family launched into a new season
of ministry together. Although we were usually swamped by requests for
character training while maintaining a full schedule, these first months in
Mongolia were an exciting time.

Applying his usual diligence to the tasks before him, Isaac assisted with
weekly character and English training sessions, and used his desktop
publishing skills to design additional materials for our character training.
How little did any of us realize at the time that Isaac’s life of service
was drawing to a close.

Isaac looks up with a smile from his reading
in the biography of John Paton.

In early October, Isaac began to experience some pain in his left leg. The
apparent infection strangely did not seem to respond to antibiotics. Missionary
doctors from Korea and America, working with local doctors, were puzzled by the
symptoms that continued to linger on.

Although the pain in his leg confined Isaac to his bed for most of the month,
his joyful spirit was a constant encouragement to David, Derrick, and I as
we shared a room together. Isaac took the opportunity to read through
several missionary biographies during this time, even building a suspended
glass shelf above his head for easier reading.

After several weeks in bed, it seemed that Isaac was getting better. Then he
suddenly became much worse. On November 3, more blood tests revealed an extremely
serious situation, and we were advised to fly Isaac to Korea or China immediately
for further testing and diagnosis.

David covers some final details before the taxi races
off to make the flight.

The following two hours were a blur of activity. We found a flight to Korea
that was leaving in 50 minutes, hastily packed a few bags, and carried Isaac
down five flights of stairs to a waiting taxi. As weak as he was, I still
clearly remember Isaac’s smile as we joined hands for the last time through
the taxi window. “We’ll see you!” were the last words I
said to him as I squeezed his hand.

It was about an hour into the flight to Korea, after watching the setting sun
from the airplane window, that Isaac suffered a massive brain hemorrhage and he joined
his Savior in that City where the sun never sets.

At 1:30 the next morning, we received the call from our parents in Korea.
Gathering in our apartment, my siblings and I wept and prayed together. Mingled
with the sorrow of parting was joy and gratefulness for the twenty-five years
that we had been privileged to have Isaac as part of our family. There, at the
Throne of Grace, we found grace to help in our time of need.

Working for ten hours in below zero weather, friends from church
dug Isaac’s grave.

Over the next several days we experienced an overwhelming outpouring of
God’s grace. My parents in Korea and my siblings and I in Mongolia
were surrounded by the love and prayers of Christians around the world.
Friends in Mongolia and Korea came along side us to help in any way they could
as we prepared for the funeral.

Talking it over as a family, we chose to bury Isaac’s body in Mongolia,
the land where he had so selflessly poured out the last months of his life.
Hundreds came to the viewing and funeral where we boldly proclaimed the message
of joy and confidence that we have as Christians. We will see our brother
and son again!

Many friends, missionaries, and students from our classes
joined us for Isaac’s funeral service in Ulaanbaatar.

We later learned that an extremely aggressive and rare form of leukemia had
caused Isaac’s unexpected illness. Even in the best of hospitals,
there is little that anyone could have done to help him. God in His great
love and wisdom allowed our family to spend these last months serving together
in Mongolia, and gave Isaac the opportunity to perhaps impact more people
through his death than he had in his life.

Like a corn of wheat falling into the ground, Isaac’s life bore fruit
because he was willing to die. He was willing to die to the pleasures of
this life so that he could invest in an eternal reward that could never be
taken away. Unlike the rich young ruler, Isaac’s life was focused on
eternal things. Faithful unto death, he won the crown of righteousness which
the Lord has promised to them that love Him.

After the burial, our family gathered around Isaac’s gravestone to
sing “God Is So Good” in Mongolian.

I find a challenging message as I ponder the first verses of Hebrews 12.
Now that Isaac has joined the great cloud of witnesses who have
gone before us, let us make sure our calling, let us
lay aside every weight, let us run the race that God has set before each
one of us. Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, Who with the same eternal
perspective saw not the cross, but the joy set before Him. (See Hebrews 12:1–2.)

After a time with family and friends in the States, our family has returned to
Mongolia with renewed vision and a deepening message to continue
the work set before us. Around us we see new fruit springing forth, reminding
us of the promise that we will doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing our
sheaves with us. (See Psalm 126:5–6.)

May Isaac’s testimony be an enduring inspiration to
live for eternity, where the trials of this life are not worthy to be compared
to the glories that will be revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

—Adam Waller
Used by permission.

March 2006

About the Author

Adam (left) with his twin brother, Isaac.

Adam Waller is currently serving with his family in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, at
the Character Training Institute Mongolia, a joint outreach of IBLP and
the Character Training Institute.
The Home going of his twin brother Isaac in November of 2005 has given
him and his family new opportunities to
testify of God’s love and faithfulness. Following a clear calling to overseas
mission work, Adam’s desire is to use the skills the Lord has given to him
to make God’s ways known among the nations. Learn more about the
Waller family at their website.